Patron Saint
by Itarilde Sma Ash
Summary: A Boondock Saints fic. After a hit on a ring of assassins, Murphy falls in love with the boss's daughter. She joins up with them as their backer. Their life on the run.
1. Introduction

Erin McManus was the old lady that everyone wished they'd grow into. She wasn't the sit on the porch, rock back and forth all day type. She still drove herself, in spite of the fact she was well over eighty years old. She also religiously attended her bi-weekly ballet class. "I've been doing it for seventy years," she would say "I'm not stopping now." Perhaps the most impressive thing about Erin were the stories that followed her. The small town of Haddon, Louisiana had never been the same since she and her husband Murphy had stormed in nearly a half century ago. The six McManus children had since moved on to bigger and better things, but they always came home to Haddon. Home to the magnificent tales of outlaws and a life they would never know.

Murphy and Erin's stories were a privilege that few were allowed. Their children, of course, and their grandchildren. It wasn't until Murphy suffered a heart attack and was certain to die that Erin finally agreed to tell the story. I got the phone call at two in the afternoon on a Friday. I was thinking fondly of heading to New Orleans for the weekend. My boss came in and told me to pick up the phone.

"It's Mrs. McManus. She wants to speak with you," she said. I sighed and picked up. What on earth could she want?

"Hello Mrs. McManus," I said when I picked up.

"Daniel, boy, you listen to me and you listen good. My Murphy is dying and I want to get something off my chest before he does," she said.

"But ma'am, I'm not a priest," I said. "I'm a reporter."

"I know. If I wanted a priest I would have got one, you fool child. I have a story to tell you. It's time Haddon knew about our family, it's time the world knew about us," she said. "I've called in Connor, too. He should be here by six. I've sent Maggie to the airport in Baton Rouge. He'll have his two cents to put in, I'm sure."

"Where do you want to meet?" I asked, waiting for another sharp reply.

"Murphy's at St. Raphael's. The room is 122. Tell those bird brained nurses I asked for you. Don't let them give you any crap," she said.

"Yes ma'am," I said. "Should I be there by six?"

"Come at six thirty just to be safe. It's gonna be a long night," she said. I stifled a groan. She was honestly going to make me stay up all night to listen to whatever she was going to tell me. I was convinced it was just some old lady's fairy tales that she'd heard back home in England.

"You'll be well compensated for your time," she said, as if reading my mind.

"You don't need to do that," I said.

"Consider it a gift," she said and hung up. She was abrupt like that. I put the phone back on the base and finished the story I'd been working on. I wasn't sure how thrilled Carol would be when I told her what Mrs. M wanted. I resolved to tell her on the way out.

"I'm going to get the life story of the McManus family," I said as I headed out the door.

"Any reason why?" she said, looking over her glasses.

"That's what she wanted. Her husband is dying and she said she has something she needs to get off her chest. I didn't want to tell her no," I said.

"No one tells Erin McManus no and lives to tell about it," Carol said.

"That's it? No hysterics over printing the life story of the McManus clan?" I said.

"I think it will be well worth your time," she said. "I was good friends with Ina McManus in high school. I heard tidbits, but never a full story. It will be interesting to see what she has to say." I shifted the weight of my bag on my shoulder.

"Okay. She said it may take all night," I said.

"So your deadline will be next Wednesday. You better go. If you're late she may just refuse to say anything," Carol said, going back to what she was doing. I mumbled a good bye and walked out to my car.

It took eight minutes to drive from one end of Haddon to the other. St. Raphael's was at one end and the newspaper office was at the other. As I walked into the hospital, she was waiting.

Her hair was nearly white, but at one point I'd been told she had brilliant red hair. She refused to hunch over, as most old people do, but stood at her full five foot eight inches. Smile lines outlined her lips and eyes. But the eyes hadn't changed. I'd known her since I was a baby and she was sixty three the year I was born. Her eyes were the same amber-green they'd always been. Though no longer perfect, they still caught everything.

"I was beginning to think you weren't interested," she said.

"No ma'am, I'm very interested," I said.

"Don't lie to me. It doesn't work. Let's get a move on. There isn't much time left," she said. "I left Connor to have a bit of time with his brother. They should be done by the time we get there." She started walking and I jogged after her. In the waiting room was the rest of the McManus family. The five girls; Ina, Rian, Malina, Sorcha, and Quinn, and the youngest boy, Carson. They had their spouses and children with them. There were roughly thirty people crammed into a room designed for fifteen. Connor's side of the family hadn't even gotten there yet. That would be at least another twelve. That was one thing about the Irish, they did believe in having lots of kids.

"Here's the room. Murphy can't speak, but he still hears just as good as he did the day I met him. He was just as much a part of this as Conner and me. We just happen to be doing the talking," she said. The room was dark when she opened the door. I saw the figure of a man leaning over in a chair. He looked up when he heard the door.

"I see you brought him," he said, still bearing some of his Irish accent.

"It's time Connor," she said. "Murph wanted it this way." He gave a slow nod. He pulled up a chair next to him.

"Have a seat," he said. I sat and pulled out my recorder.

"I'll be using this," I said. "Or would you rather I take notes?"

"That'll be fine," Erin said, sitting down. "There's a great deal to impart."

"Where should we begin?" Connor asked.

"I'll start," she said. "With the day I met you three."

"Three?" I said. 

"Just listen," she said. "It'll make sense soon." I turned on the recorder and leaned back.


	2. Erin's Return

Firstly, I am not your average girl. My maiden name was Amblin. Few people remember what that name used to stand for. Nowadays, it's just a name. When I was a teenager it was quite different. 

Though we lived in Ireland, I went to boarding school in England most of my life. My mother was dead and my father was not much of a single parent. He did his best, but there are limits to everything. On the outside, my father ran a successful tea store in Belfast. The untrained eye would see nothing unusual about the people who came in and out to do business with him. Eyes are deceptive though, and you can never trust just what you see. It was a front for the largest ring of hitmen in the world. My father, Aidan Amblin, was the boss. He had a dozen men working for him. The deal was simple. A person would come to the tea shop and browse. If their true purpose was a hit, this is what followed.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, I'm looking for the ginger-orange Pekoe. Do you carry it?"

"We carry all the finest teas, but we're out of that one right now. If you like I can call our supplier and have him bring some by later today,"

"Oh that would be excellent. When do you think you'll have it?"

"Come in five minutes before closing and ask for the manager. He'll give it to you himself," 

It was brilliant in my opinion. No one even batted an eye. For that matter, the regulars never questioned why there was never any ginger-orange Pekoe. So they would come back and my father would be waiting for them. He would take them to the back and explain the deal. These were the finest men for the job, he said, they'll never let you down. They paid one hundred thousand dollars in cash and jewelry to have their spouses, lovers, or whomever killed. They also owed the Amblins a favor. This weeded out the serious from the indecisive. One day we would come and ask for a favor. It could be anything. If you refuse to give it to us, you were shot right there. No questions, no begging, no deals. That was that. By us I mean my father or I. None of the men could use it. If they were in Buenos Aries and needed a place to stay, he'd put in a call. 

It was a lucrative business. He actually made forty to fifty hits a year and it went on for most of my life. I never saw any of the money. I got everything I needed though, and the cream of the crop beyond that. I went to the finest school, wore the nicest clothes, got the nicest car when I could drive. I was spoiled rotten. It was a good life. For fifteen years, I had no involvement at all. Then it all changed when I came home from boarding school one summer.

It was summer of 2001 and I had turned sixteen only three months before. My father came to pick me up at the airport and brought along on of his men, Taylor O'Hollran, to help with my bags. As I was walking to them, I saw Taylor's jaw drop. He noticed what I had been seeing all year. I had survived the awkward middle years of puberty and emerged victorious. My hair had settled into wavy red locks. The rest of my body caught up with my long legs and my chest suddenly became the topic of dinner conversations.

"Erin, love, welcome home," Dad grabbed me into a huge hug.

"Thanks," I said. "I'm glad to be back."

"Let's take you home and let you get settled. Everyone missed you," he said. He always said that, even if it wasn't true. The men never cared about me. About half of them had only seen me once or twice in my life. Taylor was Dad's right hand man. Irritatingly enough, I knew all of a sudden he missed me.

"Learn anything interesting at school?" Taylor asked.

"If I told you the truth, you'd blush," I said.

"Don't press her if she doesn't want to talk," Dad said. That shut him up. It's not wise to hit on the boss's daughter. "It's none of our business." I smirked at him like the brat I was. He wouldn't find out the truth until years later.

Taylor dropped us off at home. We lived in a big house, one of the biggest in the county. It was far too large for just two people, but I loved it anyway. It was home. I shut myself in my room and started calling all my girlfriends from school. A few were home, but most were still waiting to be picked up at the airport. I wanted to do something, but they were all busy. That meant I'd be working in the storefront tonight. Oh joy. I walked down the stairs and heard voices. When I heard my name, I stopped to listen.

"Have you seen her?" I heard Taylor ask.

"No, man. You know we aren't allowed to view her highness," Ryan, one of the other hitmen, replied. I heard myself growl.

"She's a sight. I don't think angels are as good looking," Taylor said. 

"Will she be working tonight?" a third, Thomas, asked.

"Probably. Mr. A won't want her out on her first night home. It's easier to keep an eye on her there anyway," Taylor answered.

"If she's as good as you say she is, he'll have a hard time keeping them away," Thomas said.

"We'll see," Taylor said. I wanted to murder him right there. I'd never hated anyone that much in my life. I resisted and took the back way down to my father's office.

"Come in," he said when I knocked.

"Do you want me to work tonight?" I asked.

"If you wouldn't mind. It won't be long. I've got a meeting so we'll close early," he said. "Then you're free to do what you will."

"Okay," I said. I thought for a second. "Dad?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" he said.

"Could I ever work for you? As one of them?" I was surprised at myself. I had no idea where that came from. He obviously felt the same. He jerked up his head and stared at me.

"Why would you want to do that?" he asked. "You have school and I would never put you in that kind of danger."

"I don't have to kill anyone," I said.

"That's the whole basis of my business. You have to kill people," he said. "And you my dear, do not need to be involved in such things. If I could have kept the nature of my business secret from you, I would have."

"Is that why Mom died?" 

"Mom died because I could not protect her. I refuse to make the same mistake with you. You're all I have," the tone of his voice made me want to cry. We rarely talked about my mother. I'd never heard the full story of why she died. For my early life, she wasn't dead at all. She was on a trip. Then when I hit ten, he told me the truth. Now six years later, I was about to find out the full, albeit terrifying, story.


	3. When Good Girls Go Bad

"Tell me what happened to her," I said. "I need to know."

"Fine," he sighed. "I guess it's time." I sat down and he began.

"My business is a dangerous one. I make many enemies. Mostly Irish mob who want in on the money. They were not thrilled when I came here over twenty years ago and started working. I had just married your mother then and I'll swear until the day I die you look just like her. She knew my business and she did most of the organization. She came up with the idea for the tea shop and the code. She also arranged original contacts. When we started getting calls, things got bad. The house was firebombed several times. The families of my men were being harassed. Then it happened. You were no more than two months old. They broke into the house and kidnapped her. They tried to take you, but I was feeding you in the next room. I killed one and injured another trying to get her back, but they took her anyway. For three days I searched and called in every favor I had. We found nothing. On the morning of the fourth day, they brought her back. They dumped her like trash in front of the rose garden. She'd been shot once, in the back of the head. I thanked God she felt no pain. I buried her there, with Uncle Mike's help. It was her favorite spot and used to be yours. I promised her as I laid her to rest that I would do for you what I could not do for her. You do not break a promise to the dead." I shivered even though it was warm in the room. I blinked back tears.

"I'll get them," I said.

"Erin, really, don't do this," he said.

"I can bring her justice. You tell me where to find them and I'll bring them to you. I can get every last one, I know it," I said.

"With what?" he asked. "You're being ridiculous."

"Please let me do this. I want to help you more than just hanging around in the tea shop," I said. "Let me try once. If something goes wrong, I'll get out of there. I promise." He thought for a moment. I was shocked he was even considering it. I was sure he'd say no. But for some reason, he actually thought about it.

"If you're going to do this, you need to start at the bottom. Their peons are easy to find. If you start rousting them, the boss will want to see what's happening. Start with one. If it works, go back. You can find them on the south side of town at a pub. Sean goes there sometimes and he's seen them. Bring one of the men with you when you go. You'll need a driver. I'm not letting you have a gun. If this works, I don't want you to have to kill anyone," he said.

"Should I go tonight?" I asked.

"Take Ryan. He's not at the meeting tonight," he said. I took a deep breath.

"Okay," I said. Ryan was dozing in a chair in the front hall when I came out. I tapped him on the shoulder.

"We're going," I said.

"Going where?" he asked.

"To get revenge," I replied. He was confused, but he got up and followed me. Sean was the one who knew what our mark was. I'd have to get it out of him. He was more than willing to give me a detailed description of the mob's lackeys.

"The easiest one will be Paddy. He's not as suspicious as the others. None of them could resist a face like yours, but we want to be sure this will work," he said.

"What does he look like?" I asked.

"Short, curly brown hair, always wears this plaid hat. His drink of choice is Guinness," he replied.

"You just described half the population of the country," I said.

"Ah, but here's the defining feature. He's got a scar running from his nose down his cheek," he said.

"Wow," I said.

"You can't miss it," Sean said. I nodded. Ryan finished loading his gun and holstered it.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"Let's go," I said.

"Good luck," Sean waved us off. I didn't say much as we rode down to the pub. I was afraid it wouldn't work. I was convinced someone would recognize me and we'd be looking down the barrels of sixty guns. Ryan seemed to feel the same way as he drove. He would sigh about every five minutes.

"I'll wait outside. They might recognize me," he said.

"I can't go in there by myself," I said.

"This is your big break. If you really want to do this, you have to go in there by yourself," he said. There was sympathy in his voice. However, he was right. I had made this choice and I had to follow it through. I took a few more deep breaths and opened the door.

It was smoky and noisy. My eyes took a minute to adjust to the dim light. Act natural, I told myself. Then I realized I had no idea how to act natural in a pub. The only drinking I'd ever done was in my dorm room with my friends. I walked up to the bar.

"What you havin' lass?" the bartender asked.

"Beer, please," I said.

"Comin' right up," he said. I looked around, trying to see if I saw this mysterious Paddy. I didn't see anyone with scars or a plaid hat. The bartender plopped a mug of dark beer in front of me.

"Thanks," I said.

"You English?" he asked.

"No," I said. "I...uh...have an aunt there. Stayed with her last year. Guess some of the accent rubbed off." He smiled.

"Welcome back," he said.

"Actually, I'm looking for someone. A guy named Paddy, has a scar on his face," I said.

"He's at the back table," he nodded in that direction. There was a man with his head down sitting alone. No wonder I hadn't seen him.

"Thanks," I picked up my beer and went to cozy up to him.

"Is this seat taken?" I asked. He looked up.

"No, have a seat," he said. I sat down across from him.

"My name's Erin," I said.

"Patrick," he replied.

"Nice name," I said. Somehow, I felt I was doing a really lousy job. I'd be lucky if I could hold this guy's interest for more than ten seconds. There was no way I'd get him to leave with me.

"Thanks," he said. "I've never seen you in here before." _Crap_, I thought.

"I just got back from England. A friend of mine recommended here for a good Guinness," I said.

"They have the best," he said.

"A Guinness man?" I asked.

"Yup," he replied. That's when I noticed he hadn't taken his eyes off me since I sat down. Maybe I wasn't doing such a terrible job after all.

"Do I have something in my teeth?" I questioned.

"No, you're just very pretty," he said.

"I try," I said, trying to play it cool. I caught a glimpse of the clock. I'd been in there almost an hour. Ryan was probably getting impatient. Time to make my exit.

"I really have to get going," I said. "Lost track of time."

"Do you live nearby? I'll walk you home," he said. _Bingo._

"Thank you," I said. We got up and paid. Ryan had the car waiting.

"This is my ride," I said. Paddy didn't get another word out. Ryan hit him in the back of the head with his gun. He collapsed on the ground and we loaded him into the back of the car.

"You think he'll wake up?" I asked.

"Nah, he's good for about two hours," Ryan replied.

"Okay," I said. We took him back to the store. The meeting would have broken up about ten minutes ago. I'd leave Ryan there to do what he would with Paddy and walk home. My father was in the front of the store when we came in.

"It worked," I said.

"It did?" he said. I nodded.

"Ryan has him in the back of the car," I answered.

"I'll help him bring him in later. You can go home now," he said.

"Was planning on it," I said. He kissed me on the cheek.

"Let Taylor walk with you," he said.

"But Daddy, I don't like Taylor," I insisted.

"Don't argue with me, Erin," he said. I pouted. All Taylor wanted was to get into my pants and my father's wallet. Too bad my father never saw it.

"Fine," I said. My dad called Taylor to the front. It was going to be an unpleasant walk home.


	4. Meet the McManuses

Life continued that way for a while. I would weasel my way into pubs and the like, picking up various mafiosos. After a month, my body count was up to six. I was earning a reputation among the men. Sean was the one who dubbed me "Angeldust". One taste and they were hooked. Though I made a big show about hating it, secretly I loved having a nickname. I was one of them. My father was quite proud of what I'd done without even touching a gun. All of that was about to change.

One night, I was closing up the store. Dad and six of his men were having a meeting that night. Some woman wanted to have her cheating husband blown away. I was taking off my apron and walking to the back when I thought I saw a car parking outside. I didn't think anything of it. It was probably just the client.

"I'm done," I said, walking into the back room.

"Taylor's on his way to walk you home," he said. I resisted the urge to stomp my foot like a little kid.

"He's only interested in sleeping with me," I said.

"Don't be dramatic, Erin. He works for me and this is what I want him to do. He might as well enjoy it," he said. I bit my tongue. There was no point in arguing. Before I could say anything, there was a knock at the door. Sean went to see who it was. He looked back at my father, alarmed.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's not the client," he said. My father looked through the peep hole. I didn't know what he saw, but he quickly locked the door. It rattled like someone had kicked it. The other men stood up and drew their guns. I stood there, not sure what to do. It rattled again. I could hear my heart beating in my ears like a thunderstorm. Whoever was on the other side of that door wasn't here to make our lives any easier.

The minute the door burst open, my father shoved me under the table. It was the fulfillment of his promise to my mother. Then the shooting started. I'd never heard anything so loud in my life. No less than ten high powered weapons were going off. I covered my ears and buried my face in my knees. I prayed they wouldn't find me and I'm not a praying woman. Just as quickly as the pounding in my ears started, it stopped. I dared to breathe. Then I heard them.

"Look what we have here," a man pulled up the table skirt and looked at me. His brown eyes looked quizzically at me. I didn't speak. The words stuck in my throat.

"Don't touch her," another voice said. A big white bearded man crouched and looked at me as well. "Come on out love. We won't harm ye," he coaxed in a thick Irish accent. I reluctantly crawled out into the carnage. I saw my father and half a dozen of his men dead all over the back of the store. My knees gave out before I realized it. The third one caught my elbow and kept me from falling.

"Careful," he said. I looked up at him. It was the first time I would lay eyes on Murphy McManus. He smiled gently which disturbed me. How could a man who just killed my father look so kind?

"Thank you," I stuttered.

"What's your name?" the other asked.

"Erin," I replied.

"I'm Connor, this is my brother Murphy," he said. "And that's our father." The older man dipped his head slightly.

"Why did you come here? Why did you kill them?" I asked, fighting tears.

"It's kind of a long story, but let's leave it at this. Evil men, dead men," Murphy said.

"Who are you to say my father was evil? You have no right to take away the only parent I had!" I screamed.

"Then come with us," their father said.

"You care to repeat that?" I said. "Why on earth would I go with the men who just took away everything I knew?" They had no answer for that. They stared at me and I stared back. I was trying to steel myself, but something in Murphy's eyes made me soften. It felt like all the breath had gone out of me.

"Where else do you have to go?" Murphy asked.

"Nowhere," I replied softly.

"Then consider my offer," the old man said. I was silent as tears streamed down my face. I was ankle deep in bodies and blood. These three strange men were trying to whisk me away from it all. My brain felt like it was going to explode.

"If you want to kidnap me, just do it. All his money is mine. Do you want me to write you a check and save you the trouble?" I said.

"Money isn't what we want," Conner said.

"Then what the hell are you doing? I doubt your self righteous credo is the only reason," I snapped.

"Someone was bound to hear the shots. Just come with us before things get more complicated," Murphy said. "Please." It was the please that got me. I had no idea why at the time, but I knew I'd be okay. I took his hand. We ran out the back of the store. I was officially on the lam.

A beat up old car was parked in the alley behind the store. It looked like it would fall apart at any moment.

"That's your car?" I asked.

"Why?" Connor asked.

"You aren't going to get anywhere fast in that thing. Follow me," I said. They did as they were told. My dad's Mercedes was parked in the lot.

"Nice," Murphy said.

"Get in," I said.

"Do you have a license?" Connor asked.

"Not your problem," I said. We all got in the car and I drove us back to my house. I wasn't sure why I had all of a sudden taken control. In later years, I came to realize that was my way of coping. I had to survive and to survive among murders you have to exhibit dominance.

I let them into the house and into the living room.

"Before anything else happens, I want answers," I said. They were taking in the opulence of the house.

"What do you want to know?" Murphy asked.

"First of all, who do you work for?" I asked.

"No one, bit of a divine mission thing," Connor said, sitting down.

"Divine mission?"

"We destroy evil in the world to give good room to grow," Patri said.

"So you carry out God's mission by killing? Doesn't sound very on par with the whole 'Thou shalt not kill' thing," I said.

"It's complicated," they said. I didn't feel like pursuing it.

"How'd you find us? How'd you even know we exist?"

"Met a guy in a bar. He told us about the meetings and the hits," Murphy said.

"Did you happen to catch a name?" I questioned.

"Taylor," said Connor.

"Taylor O'Hollran?"

"Yeah, that was it," said Murphy. My jaw dropped.

"You know him?" he asked.

"Know him? He fucking works for us! He was my father's favorite for God's sake," I said. I covered my face with my hands.

"He worked for you?" Connor repeated.

"Yes," I replied. "Jesus..." The only consolation I had was he was as good as dead. The minute the surviving six hitmen found out he was the mole, they'd kill him. Of course, Taylor had a gift for saving his own skin. He'd do anything to get away from them. This was so far from being over.

Then I heard a loud banging on the door. It had begun. I looked at the three.

"Hide," I said. "I'll be right back."


	5. Run With Us

I pulled the heavy panels closed and went for the door. Our butler was about to open it.

"Let me," I said. The remaining six of my father's men were on the other side.

"Erin, thank God you're alive," Ryan said. _Play it cool_, I told myself.

"Why would I not be?" I asked.

"Someone shot up the tea shop. Everybody's dead, including your dad," he said. The pain was still real.

"What? When?" I asked.

"Maybe half an hour ago. We went in there looking for your dad and found the bloodbath," Aidan added. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Who's dead?"

"Seven with your dad. Nick, Kieran, Sean, Daniel, Kevin, and Ricket," Ryan said. Now was the time to send them after Taylor. Revenge was sweet.

"Not Taylor?" I asked. "He's not with you." They looked around. Sure enough, he was nowhere in sight.

"He was here before," said Tim.

"Maybe he said something to the wrong people. You know how he has a big mouth when he's drunk," I said.

"He wouldn't do that, would he?" Aidan asked. They muttered among themselves as I stood there.

"At this point, I'd believe anything," I said. "Doesn't hurt to find him and ask."

"I bet he said something. I never did like him," Ryan said.

"Go," I told them. "I'll be fine here."

"Are you sure?" he asked, squeezing my shoulder. I gave him a half smile.

"I'll be okay. It had to happen one day, didn't it?" I said.

"You're a strong girl, Angel. You'll go far," he said.

"Thanks, Ryan. You lead them. That's my gift to you," I said. He smiled.

"Thank you,"

"My dad would have wanted it this way," I said. They quickly drove off to find Taylor. I only wished I could have seen it when they caught up with him. I walked back to the living room and opened the door.

"You can come out now, they're gone," I said. Connor crawled out from behind the desk. Murphy squeezed out behind the bookcase and Patri popped up behind the couch.

"I sent them after Taylor. They'll probably catch up with him pretty quickly," I said.

"Why not let us find him?" Connor asked.

"This is a matter of honor, not good and evil. Taylor gave up his when he told you where we were. This will give them closure," I told him.

"So what about you? Gonna stay in this big house all by yourself?" Murphy questioned.

"I have to stick around to inherit the money. Once it's mine, I have to start running," I said.

"Why? Who would be chasing you?" asked Connor.

"Taylor. He wants my dad's money. He knows the only way to get to it now is through me. He was probably betting that you'd kill me in the fight, but word will get out I'm alive. That means he just lost millions of dollars. I figure I might as well get a head start," I said.

"Then run with us. He'll never guess you're with us," Murphy suggested. I looked into his eyes. It was still kind of disturbing what I saw in there. For someone who just killed seven people, there was kindness. I had never really thought about it before then. Maybe it was just the way he looked at me. I shook my head in an effort to refocus.

"Someday he will," I said.

"Possibly," said Murphy. I wasn't sure I could walk away. Leave behind the house I'd grown up in and the men who were like my uncles and brothers. Leave everything that ever meant something to me. Then I realized it was all gone. I had nothing to leave. I looked back into Murphy's brown eyes. My future was there.

"Let me bury him and then I'll come with you," I said. "Until then, I really don't want to see any of you."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Connor asked.

"I don't really care. I need to say goodbye and I can't do it with his killers standing over my shoulder," I said.

"If that is your wish, we'll abide by it," Patri said. I was waiting for one of the boys to protest, but he had a hand on each of their arms.

"We'll show ourselves out," he said. I gave a slow nod. Connor didn't look at me as they walked out, but Murphy kept looking over his shoulder. I smiled to myself. What a mess I'd gotten myself into in the past hour.

Two days later, I stood at the cemetery with Ryan's arm around my shoulder. The other five men stood around as they lowered the coffin in. I'd cried nonstop for the past 48 hours. My face was practically raw. I'd cried myself out by the time I reached this point. Ryan gave me a reassuring squeeze. I was glad to have him here. I hated to leave him behind. As we walked back to the car, I broke the news to him.

"I'm going away for a while," I said.

"Where?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I just need to get away from here. The thing is, I don't know if I'll ever be back," I told him. He gave me a surprised look.

"Erin, I don't think that's a good idea. What about the business?" he asked.

"You're the boss now. Dad left very explicit instructions and money to keep it going. If you want to, that is. If not, that's okay," I said.

"What if we need you?" he asked.

"If you need me, I trust that you can find me. I have faith in you," I said.

"I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?" he said. I shook my head.

"Not this time," I said. I hugged him. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too," he said. "Angel,"

"I wish I'd gotten to tell Sean I didn't really hate that name," I said, feeling myself tear up again.

"He knows," Ryan said. "Just because they're dead doesn't mean they're gone. They know how you feel and what you're thinking. Life wouldn't be worth living if people just disappeared."

"I hope you're right," I said. As we walked up the hill, I saw Murphy leaning against our car. He was wearing an old black tee shirt and worn jeans. He smiled when he saw me. I looked at Ryan.

"Wait here," I said. He nodded. I walked over to Murphy.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Thought I'd see if you wanted a ride home," he said.

"You're leaning against it," I said.

"Then would you like some company?" he asked. I smiled.

"I have some, thank you," I replied. He looked over my shoulder at Ryan.

"Your bodyguard?" he teased. I shook my head.

"An old friend," He gave a knowing nod.

"Is that a hint I should get lost?" he said.

"If he knew who you were, you'd be dead already," I told him. "I think it would be better if you and the other two showed up later tonight."

"If you say so," said Murphy, putting his hands in his pockets. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he just smiled and walked away. Ryan came up behind me.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"He owes us a favor," I replied. Ryan opened the car door for me.

"I see," he said.


	6. All's Fair

(A.N. Thank you for the reviews. I love getting feedback. This chapter is told from Connor's point of view. I'll start flipping back and forth to give a little more perspective. Enjoy!)

Murphy reappeared at the hotel about an hour after he left. I looked up from the gun I was cleaning when the door opened.

"She kick you out?" I asked.

"Not so's you'd notice," he said. "She had someone with her. I think it was one of the other guys she was talking about."

"Is she still coming?" I asked.

"She said to show up at the house tonight," he replied, lighting a cigarette.

"Anything else?" Dad asked from the doorway.

"No, just to be there," Murphy shook his head.

"Do you honestly think she'll come with us? Help the people who killed her father? Maybe she's just baiting us so the rest of his henchmen can kill us," I said.

"I don't think so. She doesn't seem like that type," Murphy insisted.

"How would you know? Did she tell you? She's the daughter of an assassin," I said. Murphy gave me an annoyed look.

"I trust her. I don't think she'd trick us," he said. "If you don't want to come, you don't have to." I was about to reply when Dad interrupted us.

"We do things together or we don't do them at all. Erin is alone in this world because of us. It is our duty to do what we can with her. You must agree before we go any further," he said. He had a point. We couldn't afford to disagree at this point. Not if we wanted to live, anyway. Murphy believed her. It didn't matter how he felt about her otherwise, even thought it was obvious. As much as I expressed my doubts, I trusted his judgment. I heaved a sigh.

"We'll go," I said.

"Then we leave in two hours. Be ready by then," Dad said. It wasn't like there was much to do to get ready to leave. We'd been running for three years. All the stuff we had in the world could be shoved into a bag in under five minutes.

An hour and forty five minutes later, we were doing just that. As we threw our bags into our crap car, I thought about the prospect ahead of us. The last time I'd let a girl in, she'd done a fucking good job of destroying my life. I didn't want a repeat of it. We couldn't afford to have her turn on us. We had killed her father, after all. It was probably the stupidest thing Murph had ever done and he'd done a lot of stupid shit in his life. I wasn't totally on board with the whole plan. I was ready to drop her for the smallest reason. I didn't say anything the whole trip out to the country.

The sun was setting as we pulled up to the drive. The gravel didn't appear gray so much as gold. It was like some higher power was trying to rub it in my face that she was the key to our success.

"What's the matter with you?" Murphy asked, punching me in the arm.

"Nothing. Gimme a cigarette," I replied shortly. He handed me one and I lit it as we walked up to the door.

She was waiting for us. Even I couldn't deny she was attractive. Her red hair fell around her face like the angels in paintings. When she lifted her chin, you got a good look at some impressive cheekbones and perfectly formed lips. I shook myself out of it quickly.

"Hi," Murphy said, getting that same idiotic grin. I rolled my eyes.

"Glad to know you listened this time," she said. She turned her attention to me as I took a drag.

"No smoking on the property," she said.

"You're shitting me," I said. She shook her head.

"I shit no one," she plucked it from my mouth and stamped it out.

"Since when are you in charge?" I demanded. Erin crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

"In case you've forgotten, I'm the one holding the cash. You aren't getting ten feet without my help. I can have you killed with one phone call, so don't piss me off," she said. I couldn't believe I was hearing this. I wasn't about to take orders from a girl half my age.

"Enough of that, now. We need to move before dark," Dad said.

"We'll leave in the morning. Stay here tonight," she said. I looked over at Murphy. He looked about ready to piss himself from happiness. I found myself rolling my eyes for the millionth time in the last hour. She pushed open the door and let us in.

"There are plenty of guest rooms. You don't have to share unless you want to. Mathilde and Anne can show you where they are," she told us. As much as it killed me, it would be nice to sleep in a bed that cost more than I made in a year. It would be nice to have a room to myself.

"If you have any bags, Henry can bring them up," she said.

"Of course we have bags," I said. She turned and looked at me.

"Other than weaponry," she said.

"You think we wear the same clothes every day?" She surveyed me with an amber-green eye.

"Judging by those stains and holes, I'd say yes," she said. I felt like she was trying to get under my skin. It was working really fucking well. She walked ahead of us to talk to the maids. Murphy came back to talk to me.

"Would you stop picking on her?" he hissed.

"Only if she does. Your new girlfriend is a bitch," I mumbled back. If he'd had his gun, I probably would have had it shoved into my temple.

"You say that again and fuck brotherhood, I will kill you," he snapped. Dad looked at us, but didn't say anything. Before I could reply, Erin waved us over.

"Follow these two. They'll show you to your rooms," she said. Dad lagged behind, I suspected to sort out something with our hostess. I followed one of the maids, Anne I think, up to the second floor. She led me to a room that was the same size as our old apartment in Boston.

"This is where you'll be staying. If you have any problems, I'm at your service," she said.

"Thanks," I said. She went to leave. "Hey,"

"Yes, sir?" she asked. I smiled and shook my head.

"You don't have to call me sir. My name is Connor," I said.

"Yes, Connor," she corrected.

"What do you think of Erin? Is she always so...demanding?" I asked.

"No, she's grieving. Normally she's very laid back. She does most of her own laundry and cooking. The death of her father hit her hard. She was away at boarding school all year. He was her only parent. Her mother died when she was a baby," she explained.

"When she was a baby?" I repeated.

"Murdered by the mob or so the story goes," she said. "She's buried in the rose garden." I found that a little morbid.

"Is Erin the only one?" I questioned. Anne nodded.

"Her father never remarried. She was his pride and joy. I heard he saved her life that night in the store," she said. I decided not to say anything one way or the other. I had no idea if Erin had given them instructions to smother us in our sleep or if they were in the dark.

"Good of him," I said.

"He was a fine man. It's a shame she's not staying in the house. He built it for her mother. He loved this house," she said.

"It's a nice house," I said, not sure what else to say.

"Would you like me to bring you anything? If you'd like to change, I can have your clothes laundered," she said.

"Maybe later," I said.

"Certainly," she said and left. My duffel bag was already on the bed. I was surprised they'd even put it there. Might get their silk sheets dirty. I pulled out my other pair of jeans. They looked worn, but not too bad. I didn't see what problem she had with them. I wasn't even sure why I cared.

After I'd unpacked, I couldn't resist flopping on the bed. Dad opened the door and looked at me.

"For someone who was complainin' to his hostess, he looks mighty comfy," he said. I looked up.

"Might as well enjoy it," I replied.

"Miss Erin wants us down for supper at nine," he said.

"She's a miss now?" I said.

"'Tis only polite," he said. "Which you seem to know nothing about." He sat on the bed next to me.

"You don't know my history with women, especially younger ones," I said.

"I think I do. I loved your mother, but I wasn't too good at expressin' it. She was glad to see me go, even with a pair of twins to raise. Murphy loves her, so let him. 'Tis not for you to worry. The time will come when you trust her," he said.

"Forgive me if it's a long time," I said. He patted my knee.

"Take all the time ye need," he said. "I'll see you at supper." I shook my head and lay back down. It wasn't going to take as long as I'd originally believed.


	7. Earning Connor's Respect

(A.N. Back to Erin's P.O.V. Again, thank you for the reviews. I know I'm raising some interesting questions. Those will all be answered soon enough. For now, just enjoy!)

I heard a soft knock at my door.

"Come in," I said. Patri opened the door.

"I spoke to him," he said.

"You didn't have to," I replied.

"If we're going to be together as long as I suspect we will, he needs to learn to live with you," he said.

"Thank you for the thought," I said.

"He doesn't trust you," he said. I smiled as I folded one of my shirts.

"I never asked him to," I said. He just smiled and patted my hand.

"I know," he said. "I'll go get myself settled in."

"Okay," I said. I went back to sorting my clothes. It would take a while to pack. I didn't want to leave behind any if I could help it. Connor would have made some smart remark. He seemed to be going out of his way to make things difficult. After they had gone up to their rooms, Patri had stayed behind. He tried to smooth it over, but it didn't work out very well. Connor would have to come around on his own. I'd probably have to save his life before he'd trust me. He was convinced I was going to kill him in his sleep. I was about to that point by the time I sent him upstairs. Maybe I still could.

As I was going through my clothes, I pulled out one of my dad's shirts. I held it to my face and inhaled deeply. It still smelled like him. I decided I'd take it with me. It wouldn't smell like him forever, but it would give me a little more time with him. If I closed my eyes, I could see him standing in front of me. I knew soon my memories would begin to fade. I wouldn't be able to recall his voice as well or see his face. That was the hardest part. No matter how hard I tried, I'd lose him to time. I wanted time to freeze right there. I could stay sixteen with clear memories of my father in the house he loved so much. I wouldn't have to run or spend the rest of my life with my father's killers. I could just stay in this moment. A few tears slipped onto the shirt.

"Oh, sorry," Murphy's voice made me jump. I turned around, furiously wiping my eyes.

"It's okay," I said.

"I was looking for Connor's room, actually," he said.

"He's down the hall a bit," I said. "Third door down from this one on the right."

"Are you okay?" he asked. I shook my head.

"No, I'm not," I couldn't believe I'd actually given an honest answer.

"Anything you want to talk about?" he asked, coming in and closing the door. I shook my head.

"Not really. It'll just make me cry harder," I said.

"Sorry," he said. I wanted to tell him he should be. That this was all his fault. Everything I was feeling right now was all because of his stupid divine mission. But the words stopped in my throat. I couldn't say anything. He looked awkward standing there. He shoved his hands in his pockets, as I learned he did when he was nervous.

"Well, I better go," he said.

"Wait," I said. "I have a question for you."

"Go ahead," he replied.

"Who actually killed my father? Who fired the shot?" I asked.

"Connor did," he said. "He was the first one in the door." I covered my face. I wished I had never asked. It just made it harder to like Connor now. More than ever, I wanted to stop his heart for good. Almost as quickly, pain morphed into anger. I felt like I really could kill him. I pushed past Murphy and ran down the hall to Connor's room. He ran after me, not sure what I was going to do. I threw open the door. Connor was laying on the bed, half asleep.

"How could you?" I barked. He jerked up.

"What?" he asked.

"You were the one! How could you be such a bastard to me when you were the one that killed my father!"

"What the hell did you tell her?" Connor looked at Murphy. Before he could answer, I stepped forward and punched Connor in the face with all I had. He howled in pain and surprise. I grabbed my throbbing fist and was ready for another round. Murphy grabbed me around the waist.

"That's enough. You made your point," he said.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance!" I yelled. I thrashed around, trying to claw Connor's eyes out. He kept his distance.

"You're fucking crazy! You know that?" he snapped back.

"How would you feel if I shot your father? How would you feel if I put a bullet in his brain and left him to die in front of you?" I cried. That shook him. For the first time since we'd met, I saw the expression in his eyes waver. It appeared that before then, he hadn't really considered what he'd done. It was just another day, another corpse. They were never people's fathers, sons, brothers, or husbands. They were just evil. It didn't change the fact that they were human, too. It was the first time since he'd started this that he realized the true magnitude of what he'd done. I wanted so badly to make him hurt like I did.

"You want to hurt me? Because you got a good fucking start," he said, dabbing his bloody nose.

"Yes, I do," I said. Without warning, Murphy let go of me. I took my chance and lunged at his brother. I hit him in the nose again. This time, his eyes watered. I probably broke it. I hit, kicked, and clawed at him until I couldn't even hold myself up. He never once hit me in return. I collapsed backward onto Murphy. He barely caught me.

"It's over now," he whispered. Connor held his sleeve to his nose.

"You wanted my respect, you've got it," he said. I didn't even have the strength to speak. I just laid half on Murphy, half on the floor, in a near comatose state. I was okay now. Life was going to be okay now.

"What's going on in here? Miss Erin, are you all right?" Mathilde came running in.

"She'll be fine, just a fainting spell," Murphy said. I looked up at him with grateful eyes.

"Should I call the doctor?" she asked.

"No," I replied softly. "I'll be fine."

"Very well. Supper is ready," she said.

"Thank you, Mathilde," I said. Murphy helped me up.

"Impressive. I'm not going to let him forget he was beat up by a girl," he said. I smiled weakly.

"I wouldn't call that beat up," I said.

"I think you broke his nose, judging by the blood," he said.

"My first real notch on my belt," I said. He laughed.

"Won't be your last, I'm sure," he smiled. It was the smile that made me want to melt. I wanted to fall into his arms and declare my love for him. Of course, I knew nothing about love. I had understood hate, so I knew I could understand love. The balance would come soon enough. It always did.

Connor came out of the bathroom wearing a clean shirt and having cleaned up his face.

"Ready to eat?" he asked. We nodded.

"Then what are we waiting for?" The three of us walked down the stairs to dinner, our first steps to what we would become.


	8. An Eye for an Eye

My nose still throbbed the next morning as we drove out to the Amblin summer home. She'd succeeded in breaking it right across the bridge. I found myself rubbing it and then recoiling through the entire trip. Murph thought it was hilarious. I was less than amused. Erin didn't seem to notice or chose not to say anything about it. She spent most of the time looking out the window. The house was up on the coast. It would be our home until we had to run again.

"How far is the place?" I asked, after we'd been on the road for nearly three hours.

"Not much further," said Erin. "It's worth it."

"What's up there?" Murph asked.

"Our summer home. I haven't been there in a few years, but it should still be in good shape. Hardly anyone knows about it," she replied. "Even the men have no idea where it is."

"Why the secrets?" I asked.

"Everyone has to have somewhere to hide sometimes," she replied. I turned around to look at her. I thought I could see a hint of a smile.

"We lived there for a few years when I first married your mother," Dad said. "It's beautiful up there."

"When I was little, I would pretend I was a princess trapped up there and some prince charming would come to save me. My dad would play the dragon. It was great fun," she said.

"Did the prince ever come?" Murph asked. Erin shook her head.

"I'm still waiting," she answered. She picked up her head.

"We're close," she said. I turned forward. There was a long drive and what looked like a castle at the end of it.

"Are you fucking serious?" I asked.

"Gentlemen, welcome to Castle Amblin. It's been in the family for nearly nine centuries. There's no central heating or air. It's much more habitable in the summer, though. I hope you'll find it agreeable," she said.

"Agreeable? Hell, you'll have to drag me out of there," Murph said. She laughed.

"That can be arranged," she smiled. "They should be expecting us."

"They?" I asked.

"You think we maintain this house all by ourselves? There's a staff of ten in the castle alone. That doesn't include grounds crew," I replied. My head was spinning. I'd never seen anyone with that kind of money. I'd never seen anyone with an ancestral castle, either. Hanging around with her wasn't so bad after all.

"I phoned yesterday. They have our rooms ready and new wardrobes for the three of you," she said.

"New wardrobes?" we said.

"Not whole new ones, but a few outfits. If you're going to stay here you have to look the part. If they even suspect you aren't who I say you are, you're dead," she told us.

"Understood," Dad said. He stopped outside the gate.

"Tell them Erin Amblin and her guests are here," she said. I leaned out and pushed the speaker.

"Yes?" the voice on the other end said.

"Erin Amblin and her guests are here," I said.

"One moment," the voice replied. The gate buzzed open a few seconds later. We drove up to the doors. Three butlers stood outside.

"Told you," she said as she got out. We got out and took in the castle. It looked like it came straight out of a fairy tale. Fairy tales had probably been written about it, come to think of it.

"Sir," one of the butlers said. I saw everyone else walking inside. I caught up with them. It was more of the same inside. Erin seemed amused by our reactions.

"Anyone need a pinch?" she asked. I barely even registered her voice.

"How do you not get lost in here?" Murph asked.

"You'll get the lay of the land quickly. Then I'll show you the secret passages," she said.

"Secret passages?" I repeated. She nodded.

"This castle has been attacked many times. There are no less than half a dozen ways to get out of here without anyone knowing," she said. Suddenly, she dashed up the stairs and hugged a woman who had just appeared up there. She was older, maybe even Dad's age.

"Marie, these are my guests. This is Murphy and his brother, Connor. That's their father, Andrew, but I call him Patri," she said. "Marie was my nanny for years." We all shook her hand. She smiled.

"How did you meet Miss Erin?" she questioned. I saw Erin's eyes flash for a second.

"Business," she said, quickly recovering.

"Excellent. Everything is in order as you requested. Would you like me have them shown to their rooms?" she asked.

"I'll do it," said Erin. We followed her the rest of the way up the stairs. When we were well out of earshot, she started talking.

"Your cover story is that my father was looking to hire you. He was killed by the Irish mob before he could do so. I'm keeping you around as protection," she said.

"Killed by the mob?" I said. She opened the door to one of the rooms and looked at us.

"I'm going to tell you a story. It's the story of a girl who lost her mother and her father before she was even an adult. Now she's going to get her revenge," she said.

"I'm listening," Murph said. She closed the door behind her. She told us the story of how her mother was murdered. By the time she was finished, I felt like the biggest bastard in the world.

"I told you this story to tell you I have a job for you," she said.

"What might that be?" Murphy asked.

"Since you kill evil men for a living, I have a whole den of them. I was helping pick them off when you killed half our group. Anyway, we were about to move in on Andrew Sullivan. He's been the boss for over twenty years and he ordered the killing of my mother. However, you'll have to pick off about a dozen of his guys to even get in the building. He's more well guarded than the president," she said. We looked at each other and considered her proposition.

"Sounds worth it to me," Murphy said. I shrugged.

"I'm up for it," he said. She looked like a kid on Christmas.

"Really?" she said.

"It's what we do, isn't it?" I said. She hugged him and then me. It felt awkward hugging her.

"I have just one request," she said.

"What is that?" Dad asked.

"I want to be there when you kill Andrew Sullivan. I want to see him die," she said. I looked at Murph, disturbed. He seemed equally shocked.

"Wellâare youâmaybe you shouldn't" Murph stuttered.

"If that's what she wants, we cannot deny her," Dad spoke up.

"Then we'll be even. An eye for an eye, if you will," she said. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to unpack." She left us standing there, trying to figure out what we'd just heard. Erin Amblin would do that to us a lot in the coming months.


	9. To The Winner Go The Spoils

(A.N. Thanks again for all the feedback. I do enjoy it. I have one request. If you'd like to post a review, please make it more than one sentence long. I'd like to know why you liked or didn't like something. It gives me an idea of what everyone likes to read. That way, I can try to fit more of it into the story as it progresses. Details are always better, people! Thanks.)

Those days in the castle made up for the horrific beginning I'd had to my summer. I was back to being a princess. I'd almost forgotten we were supposed to be in hiding. I spent my days out riding around the grounds, swimming, and telling stories about my life. Connor and Murphy were always enthralled when I told them about my childhood. I suppose to them, my life was something exotic and interesting. We could spend hours by the pool or walking through the gardens as I told my stories. It was in those days I discovered I had another gift besides my looks. I could enchant with my words.

It was also during that time, Murphy made little effort to hide his feelings for me. He'd sit next to me every chance he got. His hand would find its way into mine when we were walking. I'd catch him staring at me from across a room. Out here in this fairy tale world, I would learn what it felt like to be loved. It was too ironic.

After supper on night in late July, we were walking through the ballroom. I'd always loved it as a little girl. I'd run as fast as I could and slide to the other end in my socks. My dad kept up with me as long as he could. He'd slide once or twice and then just watch me. I looked up at the chandelier in the middle of the room.

"I think this is my favorite room," I said.

"Why's that?" he asked.

"When I was a kid, my dad and I would have sock sliding races in here. I'd always win. At the end of every summer, he'd throw a party before we went back to the house. He'd always dance with me first since I'd have to go to bed before it was over. I think I was nine the last time that happened," I said. I could still see all the elegant people in their ball gowns and tuxes dancing around the room. I wanted so badly to have that again.

"So what are the rules of this sock race?" he asked.

"Rules?" I said.

"Sure, I want to see if I can unseat the sock sliding champion," he said. I smiled.

"You run until you're under the chandelier and then you see how far you slide. The one who slides the farthest wins," I explained.

"You're on," he said. He sat down and pulled off his boots. I kicked off my sneakers and we walked to one end of the room.

"Ready?" I asked. He nodded.

"Go!" I yelled. We ran to the middle of the room. I stopped and slid a good fifteen feet. Murphy grabbed onto me, spinning us both around. I landed on top of him on the floor.

"Cheater," I said. He smiled.

"You never said no grabbing," he said.

"That was understood," I said.

"But you never said it," he said. I laughed.

"Fine," I said. "I demand a rematch."

"Best two out of three," he said.

"And no grabbing," I said as we walked back to the other end. Best two out of three became three out of five and then five out of seven. Soon we were sliding all over the room, the game forgotten.

"So what does the winner get?" he asked, taking my hand and pulling me to him.

"We never really got that far," I said. He thought for a minute.

"How about a kiss?" he said.

"I guess that will do," I said. "But who won?"

"You did," he said. My heart began to race as he leaned down to me. I thought I was going to burst from happiness when his lips touched mine. I'd kissed plenty of boys in my life, but this was different. This was all of those kisses combined. It couldn't have been better planned in a movie. This was what life was all about, moments like this.

"I should win more often," I whispered.

"Anytime," he said. I smiled and felt myself blush.

"There you two are," Marie said. I brushed a piece of hair behind my ear and looked over at her.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Andrew wishes to see you," she said.

"Of course," I said.

"He's in the study," she said. I smiled at Murphy and walked out of the ballroom. Patri was sitting in the study, reading.

"You wanted to see me?" I said.

"I have a job for you," Patri said. I cocked my head.

"What kind of job?" I asked.

"I've heard your reputation. You caught many an evil man with your looks. I want you to help me with something," he said.

"I'm listening," I replied.

"I understand Murphy has taken a liking to you. That's fine, but I want to be sure they still possess the...constitution to keep doing our work," he said. I sat down across from him.

"You want me to seduce Murphy? It's a bit late for that," I said. He shook his head.

"Not Murphy, but Connor," he said. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked. He nodded.

"Think of it as a test for all three of you," he said. I considered what he said. I knew I'd have to do it. Connor would be suspicious. I'd have to work hard to get him to believe me. I let out a deep breath.

"When do you want me to do it?" I asked.

"Give it a few days. I don't want them to suspect anythin'," he said. I nodded.

"Looks like I'm back to work," I said. He smiled.

"You'll be fine," he said.


	10. Blink of an Eye

(A.N. Since I didn't do this at the beginning... Erin is mine. You steal her, I keel you. Everyone else belongs to Troy Duffy and his cronies. But you already knew that.)

Getting to Andrew Sullivan wouldn't be as easy as I had made it out to be. His house was like a fortress. We'd probably have to kill about twenty guys before we got ten feet in the door. I didn't want to say anything about it, but I knew all four of us might not make it out alive. It had to be done. The circle had to be closed. We would hit him early in the morning. All his night guards would be going off duty and he'd be an easier target. It would be the first time I would carry a gun.

Murphy took on the task of teaching me how to fire it. We stood out on the lawn with the archery targets. He handed me a gun.

"This is a .22. It's smaller than what Connor and I carry, but it should do the job if you shoot right. Anything bigger might knock you over," he said. I took it from him.

"We'll see," I smiled. He stood behind me and lined up my posture.

"Put your arms out all the way. You might want to put your left hand on the bottom to help support you," he said, putting his hands over mine.

"I think I've got it," I said.

"It's loaded. Just squeeze the trigger," he said. I squeezed. The recoil knocked my hands back, but I hit the target. It wasn't a great hit, but it was a hit.

"I hit it!" I squealed.

"Pretty good for a first timer," he said. "Squeeze off a few more." I fired nine more times, hitting the target each time.

"And they say it's an art," I said.

"Can be," he said, putting a cigarette in his mouth. I took my finger off the trigger and pointed the gun at him.

"No, you don't," I said.

"Jesus, that thing's fucking loaded," he said.

"Like I'd actually shoot you," I laughed. I put the gun down and plucked the cigarette out of his mouth.

"It's a disgusting habit," I told him.

"All I got," he said. I shook my head.

"You need to quit. I don't want you dying of lung cancer on me when you're forty," I said.

"You still expect to be with me when I'm forty?" he said.

"Assuming I don't shoot you first," I replied slyly. He shook his head.

"You're crazy," he said.

"Part of my charm," I said. I picked up the gun and finished off the clip.

"Sure you don't want to practice more?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Won't matter. Adrenaline will be dictating my actions," I answered. He took the gun and we walked back inside. In about ten hours, we'd either be dead or celebrating the end of Andrew Sullivan. I was hoping for the latter.

We quietly drove up to the Sullivan house at four that morning. We'd have a fair bit of walking to do before we got up to the house. Even I was in black this time. The more we could use the fading darkness, the better. The gun felt heavy in my hand as I led us up the hill.

"How are we getting in?" Connor hissed.

"There's a door to the kitchen. It shouldn't be hard to pick the lock," I said.

"Good. The last time we broke into a mobster's house, we got caught," he said.

"Nice one," I said. The house was dark. There were only two guards on perimeter duty and they were out by the fence. I let out a breath before we reached the back door.

"Ready?" Murphy asked.

"Let's go," I said. I grabbed the doorknob and it turned in my hand.

"What?" Connor asked.

"It's open," I said.

"Open? Why the fuck would you leave the door open?" he questioned. I shook my head.

"I'll go in first and have a quick look. I'll wave you in if it's clear," I said.

"Why not let me go?" Murphy asked.

"If they catch me, I have something to bargain with. You three have nothing. They'd probably just shoot you on sight. They know who I am," I replied. They couldn't argue with that. I carefully walked into the dark kitchen. No one was in there. I had the gun out just in case. When I got to the entrance to the next room, I waved them in. They crept in behind me.

"Now what?" Connor whispered.

"His room is upstairs at the end of the hall. Be ready to shoot," I whispered back.

"God be with us," Patri whispered.

"Amen," We scrambled across the dining room and toward the stairs.

"Hey!" a voice called. We went rigid. I turned around. Someone was running at us, gun drawn.

"Fire and run!" I called. I went up the stairs first. Patri, Connor, and Murphy opened fire and ran up after me. Soon, the rest of the henchmen were coming out of the woodwork. I was dodging bullets as I ran up the stairs. I fired a few shots myself, but I don't think I hit anyone.

"Keep going!" Patri yelled. The three of us careened down the hall. The master bedroom door was obvious. I pulled at the knob, but it was locked.

"Shit," I said.

"Stand back," Murphy said. I backed away. He shot the lock and the door came loose. We pushed it open and came face to face with the barrel of a .45.

"Erin Amblin," Andrew Sullivan said. "You do look just like your mother."

"You're not going to win a second time," I said.

"You think not? Is your father coming to save you? Does he know what his precious little princess is up to?" he asked. I slid the gun out of my pocket as he kept his attention on my face.

"My father's dead, didn't you hear?" I said.

"That wasn't my doing," he said. I shook my head.

"This is mine," I fired and hit him in the knee. He went down, howling in pain. Connor and Murphy made their move and put their guns to the back of his head.

"An eye for an eye, Andrew. I hope you've made your peace with God," I said.

"My soul is not your concern," he said.

"Good," I replied. "These two will be happy to pray for you, though."

"You might want to back up," Murphy said. I took three big steps back.

"And shepherds we shall be, for Thee my Lord, for Thee. Power hath descended forth from thy hand so our feet may swiftly carry out thy command. And we shall flow a river forth to Thee and teeming with souls shall it ever be," It was the first time I would hear that prayer. The moment they finished, the guns went off. I kept my eyes open. I had to see it. Seeing someone's head literally blown apart is not a pleasant experience. I felt physically sick when I saw it. I knew that image would be with me for the rest of my life. I couldn't help but think that's how my father died. I knew it wasn't, but the thought made me shiver.

Patri stuck his head in the door.

"More on their way. We have to go now," he said. I didn't need to be told twice. We ran back down the stairs and out of the house. We were almost to the car when a single shot rang out. We stopped and looked for the source. Murphy was doubled over, clutching his leg. He'd been hit.

"Come on," I said, pulling one of his arms over my shoulders. He limped along with me as I jogged. We practically dove into the car. I got a good look at the wound. It was a through and through and it was bleeding badly. I tore off part of my shirt and tied it off.

"It'll be okay," I said, more for myself than him. He nodded, but his eyes were filled with pain.

"We have to go to a hospital," I said.

"No, no hospitals," Connor said. I looked him in the eyes.

"If we don't get to a hospital in the next ten minutes, he'll die," I said flatly. "It's your choice." Patri threw the car in gear and we were off. I knew he'd made the command decision.

"Thank you," I said, glaring at Connor. He looked genuinely hurt. I didn't care. I pressed my hand over the top bullet hole. I was already covered in blood. It didn't matter anymore.

"You're gonna be okay," I said.

"If you say so then it must be true," he said. I smiled and put my hand on his cheek.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"Not your fault. You didn't shoot me," he said.

"I brought you here," I said.

"I've had worse," he said. I knew he was lying. Getting shot dangerously close to your femoral artery doesn't happen often. I tried to smile, but my face wouldn't move. I pressed down as hard as I could on his thigh.

"Feeling dizzy?" I asked.

"Not yet," he said.

"Am I hurting you?" I asked. He shook his head.

"Not anymore than I already am," he said, poking my nose. It was in that car I realized I loved him. Maybe it was the prospect of losing him. Maybe it was just the right moment. Either way, I felt a change in myself.

"I love you," I said, finally finding the words.

"I love you, too," he answered, kissing me. For a second, I forgot about everything.

"What side is the hospital on?" Connor's voice brought me back to reality.

"Left," I replied. It was hard to miss. Patri pulled up next to the emergency room and let us out. Connor and I each put one of his arms over our shoulders. I was about six inches shorter than both of them, so we were this lopsided five legged monster limping into the lobby.

"Sit him down. I'll go sign us in and hope they don't make us wait," I said. Connor nodded as I walked up to the desk. The nurse looked up at me.

"Yes?"

"My friend has been shot. He's bleeding really badly. I'll give you five thousand dollars if you let us get him in now," I said.

"That's bribery, miss," she said.

"Look, he's going to die if we wait five more minutes. My name is Erin Amblin. I'm the daughter of Aidan Amblin and whether or not you take the money, he will be seen to now," I hissed, leaning over the desk. She got up.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"Follow me," I said. She walked behind me. Connor was taking his turn putting pressure on it. She looked at me.

"Get him back to the first set of curtains over there. I'll get the doctor," she said.

"Thank you," I said.

"How'd you do that?" Connor asked. I grinned.

"My keen charm," I replied, helping him carry Murphy to the first set of curtains.


	11. Bonding with Erin

I'd never seen Erin so hyper. She was ordering everyone around like she owned the place. It was actually pretty funny. She finally backed off after they sedated Murph and took him into surgery. We were forced to sit in the waiting room. I'd been in a hospital once before and I wasn't thrilled about repeating the experience. I was sure we'd be found out.

Erin sat down next to me with a cup of coffee.

"You sure you should be drinking that? You're strung out already," I said.

"I have a half a mind to pour it in your lap," she replied. I couldn't help but laugh. That just annoyed her more.

"What's so funny?" she demanded. That made me laugh even harder.

"You," I managed to choke out. She glared at me for a few seconds. Then she started to laugh. Soon, we were laughing hysterically for no apparent reason. The nurses would walk by and look at us funny. The least little thing would send both of us off again.

"I don't know why I'm laughing," she said, wiping her eyes.

"Me neither," I said. She leaned back in her chair and looked at me with those eyes.

"I'm going to tell you something, since it's eight in the morning and I'm feeling honest," she said.

"Okay," I said.

"You're not a bastard after all," she said.

"Well thank you," I said. "You aren't a stuck up bitch."

"Thank you," she said, dipping her head. "So tell me about yourself. We have time to kill and I realize I don't know a damn thing about you."

"You really want to hear the story of my life?" I asked. She shrugged.

"Sure, I've shown you mine," she said. She was seductive without even trying.

"Well, I was born in Dublin on October 31st of 1974," I began.

"Get to the good stuff. Any girls? Anything naughty you did?" she pushed.

"There's only been one serious girl. Her name was Abby. I was twenty five and she was eighteen. She was the hottest thing I'd ever seen and the sex was even hotter. One day, I foolishly asked her to marry me. She said yes and I was stuck. I didn't actually want to marry anybody, much less her. I broke it off two weeks before we were planning to actually go through with it. She lost her fucking mind. Throwing shit everywhere, breaking everything she could get her hands on. It was a nightmare. She went on to destroy my entire fucking life. She got me fired from my job which is how I ended up at the meat packing plant. She slashed the tires and we couldn't afford new ones. Raging fucking bitch, all and all. So, that's my girl story," I told her. She was riveted.

"I love a good drama," she said.

"You're ass crazy," I said. I smiled.

"I know," she replied. "I'm not a crazy bitch, though. I get even in far more subtle ways."

"And how would that be?" It was my turn to be interested.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," she replied.

"I believe it," I said. "Murph said you nearly blew his balls off." She burst out laughing again.

"Not exactly," she said. I was enjoying talking to her for the first time since we'd met six weeks ago. She was funny, intelligent, and open. I almost wanted her to play her tricks on me again.

"I can see why Murph likes you," I said.

"I'd think you were dead if you couldn't," she replied.

"A bit forward there, eh?" I said.

"I know I'm attractive, Connor. That's why I can wrap guys around my little finger. I couldn't say the same thing two years ago. This mug is what keeps me alive around here," she said. "It worked on you. Twice." I tried not to blush.

"Dad doesn't kill women or children. That doesn't count," I said.

"So you're telling me that if he didn't have that policy, you would have killed me?" she said, skeptical.

"Killing you would be like destroying the Mona Lisa," I replied. She looked surprised.

"You never struck me as the art fancier," she said.

"I'm not," I said.

"You just know a pretty face when you see one," she said.

"Maybe," I said.

"Then how do you really feel about me?" she asked. I felt my heart stop. I didn't want to answer that. She saw it in my eyes.

"I knew you'd do that. You're afraid of your own feelings. I do that to people. Those that don't think I'm jailbait were afraid Dad would clip them. The only one who made no bones about what he wanted was Taylor," she said.

"He would, wouldn't he?" I said.

"He wanted money and I was the ticket. He cozied up to Dad in an effort to get to me. I don't think he was expecting me to run off with you three," she told me.

"I wasn't expecting you to run away with us," I said, leaning back and crossing my arms.

"I still don't know why I did," she said. "Maybe I felt like you needed me. Maybe I needed you."

"Guess we'll never know," I said.

"Sometimes answers come in forms we least expect," she said, leaning forward. She looked tired. She kept rubbing her eyes and yawning. I wasn't surprised. I was pretty tired myself. We'd been up for six and a half hours. I was running on two hours of sleep and I knew Erin didn't have much more.

The nurse came walking in. We both looked up eagerly.

"Are you the family?" he asked.

"Yes," Erin said.

"He's out of surgery. The anesthesia will wear off in a few hours. We got the bullet out fine. He lost a lot of blood, but he should be fine. We'd like to keep him for a few days to make sure he doesn't get an infection," he said.

"Can we see him?" she asked.

"I'd come back after noon. By then he should be awake," he said. She looked at me.

"We'll come back then," I said. Dad had taken the car to get cleaned so we were on our own for a ride.

"How are we supposed to get back?" I asked. Erin was already on her cell phone.

"Hey, Marie? It's Erin. We got into a little accident and we're at the hospital. No, everyone's fine. We just need a ride. We're standing outside, you can't miss us. Thanks, love," she hung up.

"The car will be here in five minutes," she said.

"The car?" I repeated.

"Like Marie drives," she said as if it were the dumbest thing she'd ever heard. I'd get used to it eventually. We stood in silence for about a minute.

"You've looked good these few weeks," she said.

"In what way?" I asked.

"Like how you dress. I'm glad you're actually wearing the clothes I got you. You might even pass for a man of good standing," she said. I rolled my eyes.

"Is that all you think about?" I questioned.

"My life is all about appearance. You have to look like you belong. No one questions someone who looks like they spend four hundred dollars on shoes. If I let you run around in what you're wearing now, I'd be answering questions until doomsday," she answered.

"What would really happen if someone figured out who we were?" I said. She looked me in the eyes when she responded.

"They'd contact the men. No amount of pleading or begging on my part could save you three. They have honor to consider, no matter what I said," she said.

"Are you saying you like us?" I said, giving her a playful bump.

"Maybe," she said, pushing me back. The car drove up and we got in.

"Everything all right, Miss Erin?" the driver asked.

"Murphy took a bad knock, but other than that, we're fine," she replied. "I can drive to pick him up."

"As you wish," he said, putting the car in gear. She leaned back and fell dead asleep. I could feel myself drifting. My body had finally relaxed to the point where I could think about sleeping. I looked over at Erin. She had her mouth hanging open as she slept. I smiled.

I wanted to protect her. I was just now thinking about what could have been. She easily could have taken that bullet. Murph would have been inconsolable. I had to admit it would have hurt me, too. How I really felt about her fell somewhere on the spectrum of love for a girlfriend and love for a sister. I could have told her, but I had to work it out in my own head first. I knew I loved her and that's where it ended. I knew I couldn't have her for myself. That would take longer to square with. For now, I'd do it for Murph.


	12. Silence

I woke up four hours later in my own bed. Obviously, Connor and David had carried me up to bed. I looked at the clock. It was a little after noon. Murphy was supposed to be awake by now. I jumped out of bed and started pulling on clean clothes. I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like hell. My hair was all matted together and I had huge dark circles under my eyes. I brushed out my hair and threw it up into a bun and dabbed a little concealer under my eyes. As I finished buttoning up my shirt, I ran down the hall to Connor's room. I threw open the door.

He was passed out, still completely clothed. I didn't have the heart to wake him up. I quietly closed the door and walked back into the hall. I smiled to myself and walked downstairs.

"Did you sleep well?" Marie asked.

"I'm heading back to the hospital to pick up Murphy," I replied.

"Don't you want David to drive you?" she asked. I shook my head.

"I'll just take the Jag. If Patri gets back with the Benz, give me a call. I want to know how much we're shelling out for body damage," I fibbed. She nodded.

"You love this boy," she said.

"Yes," I said.

"He's a good man. He reminds me of your father when he was that age," she said. I smiled.

"Really?" I said. She nodded.

"The similarities are striking," she said. "Here are the keys. You'd best get going. I'll have lunch ready by the time you get back." I took the keys from her and went out to the garage. I still didn't have a license, but I'd been driving since I was eleven. My dad let me drive all over the property. Roads were a bit of a different experience, but it wasn't like the traffic was heavy. It was relatively quiet where we were.

I drove back to the hospital and breezed past the nurse's station. I wasn't interested in listening to their red tape. I pushed open the door to his room. It was dark, as most hospital rooms were. I tried to close the door quietly.

"Couldn't stay away, could you?" he said. I smiled.

"Nope," I said. I leaned over and kissed his forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"I dunno what they've got me on, but it's fucking awesome. I can't feel a thing," he replied. I laughed.

"Probably morphine. They gave it to me when I had my appendix out," I said. He smiled up at me.

"Thanks," he said.

"For what?" I asked.

"Saving my life," he replied. I shrugged.

"I'm not done with you yet. I had to save you," I said.

"Good to know," he said. "Have a seat." I pulled up a chair and sat next to him.

"I think they want to keep you the rest of the day, but I'm going to try and get you out of here. The food is atrocious," I said.

"I appreciate it," he said. "Connor didn't want to come?"

"Nah, he was asleep. I decided I'd let him sleep. He needs it," I answered.

"If he's trailing after you, I have no doubt," Murphy said.

"Thanks," I said.

"Only the best, love," he said.

"So did you have any brilliant revelations? Sometimes that happens in near death experiences," I asked. He shook his head.

"Not ones I didn't already know about," he said.

"And what are those?" I asked.

"You know the answer to that," he said slyly. I poked him.

"That I'm fantastically wonderful, talented, and beautiful?" I teased.

"You forgot humble," he said. I laughed.

"Silly me," I said. We sat there for a few minutes in silence. It wasn't one of those lulls in the conversation where people are frantically searching for something to say. It was comfortable. We were both content in the silence. I rested my chin on my hands. He rubbed my hair.

"You're a brave man. I haven't washed my hair in about three days," I said.

"I don't care. I've gone weeks without showering," he said. I wrinkled my nose.

"Ew, really?" I said. He nodded.

"I think my record is two weeks," he said.

"I'd feel grody after two days," I said.

"When you're running for your life, personal hygiene takes a back seat," he said.

"I suppose," I said.

"I like not running," he said.

"Me too," I agreed. We'd have to leave eventually. We couldn't stay out here forever. The castle was practically uninhabitable in the winter. There was also Taylor to consider. I hadn't heard a peep about him for nearly two months. It meant he was still alive. If he'd been killed, Ryan would have found a way to tell me. Taylor would find us eventually. I dreaded that day.

"What you thinking about?" Murphy asked.

"Nothing," I said.

"Pretty spacey for nothing," he said.

"Happens," I replied. "Let me see if I can find a doctor and see if I can take you home."

"Much appreciated," he said. I got up and walked back to the nurses' station.

"May I help you?" one asked.

"I'd like to see the doctor who's taking care of Murphy McManus," I told her. She typed a few things in the computer and then looked back up at me.

"He'll be in in a minute. You can wait in the room," she replied. I nodded and walked back. The doctor had beaten me in there.

"Ah, you must be the famous Erin," he said.

"I am," I said.

"He's doing well. There's really nothing more we can do for him. Infection might still be a problem, but I can prescribe something for him if he needs it," he said.

"So you mean he can come home?" I said.

"I don't see why not. He'll be walking a little funny. I have some pain killers I can give you before you leave," he said.

"Thanks," said Murphy.

"Do you have any extra clothes?" the doctor asked. They had to cut off his pants and his shirt was covered in blood. I hadn't thought about that when I left. Then I remembered something.

"I just might," I said. I ran back out to the car and threw open the trunk. Sure enough, there was a black duffel bag in the back. Inside was a change of clothes. They were my dad's. He always believed in having a change of clothes wherever he went. I thought it was silly, but as I got older I realized why. I looked up at the sky.

"Thank you, Daddy," I went back inside, bag in hand.

"They'll be a little big, but at least they're clothes," I said.

"Excellent, I'll have the nurse bring everything to you before you check out," the doctor said and left the room. I helped Murphy up out of the bed and into the bathroom.

"Sure you don't need any help changing?" I said. He laughed.

"If I do, you'll be the first one I ask," he said. I handed him the bag and closed the door.


	13. I Need You So Very

(A.N. "Vindicated" belongs to Dashboard Confessional. I just borrowed it 'cause the song rocks. Yeah, you know it. Short chapter this time, I felt like a little exposition. R&R as you see fit.)

A week later, we were sitting outside in the garden. Murph was getting around better. He still looked stiff when he'd get up, but he sucked it up. The extra attention from Erin didn't hurt. If possible, he was even more googly-eyed than ever. It would have been cute if it weren't so fucking disgusting.

Murphy was sitting in one of the lounge chairs with Erin between his legs. I was sitting in the chair opposite them. We weren't talking about anything special, just shooting the breeze. Erin let out a loud sigh and leaned back into Murph's chest.

"Thinking again?" he asked.

"About Taylor," she said.

"What about him?" I asked. He hadn't been brought up since the day we met. I was interested to hear what she had to say about him.

"He'll figure out where we are eventually," she said.

"You said no one knew where this was," I said.

"No one does, but it isn't so hard to figure out. He's determined. If he really wants to find me, and I know he does, he will. He's not a happy camper," she replied.

"So why is he not happy again?" I asked, lighting a cigarette.

"Because I'm not dead yet," Erin replied. "He won't stop until I've met my end."

"He loved your father, didn't he?" Murph questioned.

"The only person Taylor ever loved was himself. If he married me then he'd stand to gain all the money my father had. Now that I've run off with all of it, he will not eat, sleep, or stop until he's killed me and taken it all," she answered. "He wants that money so he can get away from the rest of the men who are trying to kill him for betraying them."

"By telling us where they were meeting," I said.

"Exactly," she said. "Betrayal is worse than murder in our circle. You don't betray one of the family, much less six, and reasonably expect to live. He's outrunning death faster than we are. They'll show him no mercy when they finally get their hands on him."

"What about you?" Murph asked, looking longingly at my cigarette.

"They have no problem with me. I'm sure they're curious about where I went, but they wouldn't hurt me. It would be spitting on my father's grave," she said.

"You're very honor bound for a group of murders," I said. She smiled and got up to grab my cigarette. I stamped it out before she could get to me. I glared at her, but only halfheartedly. She sat back down.

"Likewise," she smiled.

"Blood is thicker," Murph replied.

"Murder begets murder," she retorted. He smiled. I wanted to tell him to wipe that ridiculous grin off his face. Now that he was back around, I'd gone back to being jealous. It wasn't that I particularly wanted a girlfriend. It wasn't even that I wanted his girlfriend. It was more a case of feeling like I'd lost him. We'd been all each other had for most of our lives. Now he was focusing all his attention on her. It was hard to take sometimes.

"What's up?" she asked, seeing the scowl on my face.

"I just need a good shag," I replied.

"You have been around me too long," she said. "You said shag." I hadn't even realized I said it. I wasn't sure why she cared.

"Thanks," I said, not knowing what else to say.

"I could hook you up with some people. I have plenty of friends from school who would die to get a shot at you," she said. I wasn't interested. I didn't want to have to deal with one of her silly school friends. The last thing I needed was a sixteen year old making my life hell yet again.

"No," I said. She cocked her head and gave me a skeptical look. She always did that when she was about to talk you into something.

"Come on," she said.

"Don't start that. It won't work," I said.

"They have older sisters, you know," she said.

"I'm not interested, now just drop it," I replied.

"Your choice," she said. "Oh!" Some song was playing on the radio that she obviously liked. I couldn't remember the last time I'd listened to the radio. She had jumped up and was dancing around and singing.

"Vindicated, I am selfish, I am wrong, I am right, I swear I'm right, I know I'm right, swear I knew it all along. I am flawed, but I am cleaning up so well," she sang. She tried to grab Murph up to dance with her.

"Not yet," he said. Without missing a beat, she'd grabbed my hands. I was too surprised to say anything. I never thought of myself as much of a dancer, but she made it seem so easy. That was the thing about Erin Amblin. She could make anything feel right. Maybe that's why we decided to stick with her in the first place. She had the ability to make you feel at home in your own skin. Murph took great pleasure in watching us dance. He was cheering us on as I dipped her.

"Not bad," she said.

"Not bad yourself," I said.

"Ten years of dance lessons do that to you," she replied. She sat back down. "So I had an idea I wanted to throw out to you two,"

"And what might that be?" Murph asked.

"I want to throw a ball for my half birthday," she said.

"Half birthday?" I said.

"September first," she clarified. "It was a big deal when I was younger."

"Why are you asking us? It's your house," I said, fumbling for another cigarette. She glared at me again. I stopped.

"I don't want you to be bored. It would be a big, fancy thing. I don't know how into the whole tuxes and tiaras bit you are," she said.

"I'm up for it," Murph said. "I'd like to see you all dressed up." She giggled.

"You too," she said. I felt the need to gag. "Connor?"

"If it's what you want, I guess I could do it for a night," I replied.

"Wonderful!" she squealed. I shook my head and tried to hide the fact I was smiling. They saw it anyway. For the first time, I didn't care.


End file.
